Persons of Interest
by RockyRamone
Summary: The Arisen has taken the Late Dukes place. for five years she has ruled unquestioned and is loved by nearly all her citizens, but the life of a young unassuming inn keepers daughter is slowly shattering her clean image, especially when young Olive finds allies in the most powerful of people. this is only my second story EVER so go easy on me.
1. Chapter 1

Gran Soren, the beating heart of all gransys. It is a grand city secured behind a great wall and fortified from all directions, guards are never off duty and the watchman never stops his watch, intruders are seldom brave enough to even approach the city let alone enter it, but those who do have a spark of curiosity, enough to breech the city's defence are quickly dispatched without even a considerable fight.

The residents lived in absolute security and with the economy on the rise there was little for them to worry about.

Now if you where to come into this city from the grand front gate, you would be greeted by a small town square. A herbal shop will stand to your right emitting strange but comforting odours, a little way along an armourers stands ready to offer means of protection to anyone…anyone who could pay, and opposite you an inn of great fame was placed with doors open to all weary travellers. This town square had suffered great damages before the new duchess came to power, such as the entire thing collapsing into a never ending pit of eternal doom, but it had been quickly filled in and built over to keep trade coming and not going…and preferably not down the hole. However the fountain was yet to be replaced leaving a big empty gap in the centre of this square much to the disgust of the residents who held this fountain in the highest regard. Aside from the hustle and bustle of travellers, traders and residents, this really was a lovely town square, but not where our story takes place.

It has been five years since the destruction of the Dragon and sudden death of the Duke, the court was thrown into a panic as to who would take his place and rule after him as the duke had no heirs and no close relatives, his wife had died mysteriously a few months earlier and the majority of his highest ranking officers where killed in battle prior the dragons death, all who remained where either not of a suitable age, mortally wounded or simply not interested in the job. All eyes turned to the Arisen, a brave and reliable woman born in a humble fishing village and who had grown to be the most respected and trusted warrior, it was she who slaughtered the great wyrm and returned peace to the land of Gransys, it was rumoured she had also been the one to kill the Duke but those rumours where quickly hushed as she was ushered into his place, becoming overnight Duchess and Grand Arisen, leader of all Gransys, a long and elaborate title that was seldom used other than in formal occasions, which as it happened, seldom took place.

Order was not delayed in being restored; the gaping hole in the centre of the town square was quickly resolved by being filled in and paved over, defences around the city and along its road was doubled almost over night, (no one quite knows where she got the men from) and finally the dukes banners where removed from every pole and replaced with the Arisen's new coat of arms, a flaming reptile eye.

'Twas not the prettiest of logo's to be pasted all over the land, but it served it's purpose, all who looked upon it knew that the woman seated upon the throne was the destroyer of destruction and the restorer of tranquillity, she was never questioned and was obeyed absolutely, it was never doubted that the five years she had sat on the throne would grow to years immeasurable.

Now you know a little about the city and the one ruling over it, I think it's time we returned to the town square and took a right at the inn. This road will lead to a series of houses and smaller, less prominent shops and if you where to continue down several twits and turns, loose your way, backtrack a little, take a left, then a right then stopped completely you would find yourself standing directly in front of the Daffodil Inn. It is unlikely you would have heard of this place, few have as it is so tucked away and no larger than a small house. This Inn was owned by a surly middle aged woman named Petunia and her daughter Olive, not a very pretty name for a girl but one that gave great delight to her mother, whose own mother had choked and thus died on the very thing that now served as her granddaughter's moniker.

Petunia had been born with a frown, and a mouth that was only capable of one expression; a miserable grimace should any emotion be desired. She was one of those women who knew she was ugly and accepted it and made no attempt to rectify her unappealing countenance, her dark hair was always bundled up beneath a grey or brown bonnet, despite it perhaps being her only redeeming feature, it being long, dark and lustrous with only a few streaks of grey, a rarity in women her age. Her sallow pink skin hung over her face as if it had given up doing anything and stuck to her bones where wet clothes stick to skin, sagging down where there was nothing to prop it up. A face this unappealing is always in need of a distinctive feature and petunia had just that in the form of a mole that lingered on her ample cheekbone like a great fat fly that refused to leave a branch, this served as a rather fascinating spectacle to the young children of the city as it seemed to grow weekly. You're probably envisioning a scrawny skeleton of a woman but that's not the case, as she was rather filled out, not large but well filled; she was certainly no starving pauper. And just to top off this woman's look, she had a hunch, not a great big chin-touching-the-floor hunch but a hunch that would have looked better on a disinterested teenager, except hers was permanent and something she was oddly proud of

It was no doubt a great mystery to the locals how this woman, so nasty in appearance found herself in the process of making a child; a child like Olive. You see Olive had very little, if nothing in common with her mother, don't be mistaken however into thinking her child was a great beauty, she was merely less ugly than the aforementioned parent. You see Olive was about half a head taller (mothers hunch not included) and much less pink in complexion, she bordered on sickly pale and ivory depending on the light and had sleepy dark eyes in contrast to her mothers pale blue griffin viewing orbs that saw all. She was much thinner with arms that swung at her side idly if they where not fully engaged in anything other than making beds and the arranging of a small collection of pebbles that Petunia kept on display for no particular reason. Olive was humble looking most of the time, with a round heart shaped face with a dainty little nose that was subject to a great deal of sneezes as the inn was a breeding ground for dust, her hair was always kept short, hacked off at her jaw or above in mismatching sections resulting in a rather lopsided and spiky look (her mother didn't approve of women flaunting their hair as apparently it falls out and makes a mess, either keep it up or cut it off was her philosophy) It gave her the appearance of a crooked neck to match her mothers hunch however olive was a little less ready to celebrate her bodily abnormities.

Petunia was just reaching her 57th birthday but was showing every sign of approaching her 77th, and Olive had but a few days earlier turned 19 and was being heavily scrutinised by the other mothers of the city for not being married and having at least seven children of her own by this old age. This made Petunia very irritable, her daughter could barely light a stove let alone cook on one, she was thoroughly useless but was destined to be more than just a feeding breeding machine. One woman in particular was causing her blood to boil. Mrs Mildred Guffber, older sister to Horace Warble.

Mildred was married at 14 to young Master Guffber and the two of them began breeding instantly, the woman was never not with child, one popped out another popped in, that was her life process. Mr Guffber was a cobbler and paid for the food and the house, his evenings where spent having his meal, and going to the ale house, however he would forgo the ale house if his wife was in need of another little Guffber, I need not go into detail describing these evenings, but it usually resulted in a later addition to the already huge Guffber brood.

This family was considered perfect, Mildred was only 22 but had achieved great things, she had children, a providing husband and a nice home, however she bore a great grudge against Olive for still having her youth, Olive was young and considerably less ugly than her mother, she had no strings attached to her and was free to do as she pleased, this, and the fact that her mother had turned down the advances of her younger brother Horace truly bode ill with her. Mildred believed that if a man saw fit to propose to you it was a woman's duty to accept, but what she didn't know was that Petunia had greater, more pressing reasons to keep her daughter single and by her side, pressing reasons that resulted in her being in a truly foul mood on the morning our tale begins

This morning started like no other, Olive was sweeping the sitting room floor doing her utmost not to disturb the lodgers, a farmer and his son who had travelled from cassardiss to sell their stock and a travelling merchant named Reynard who her mother had purchased a single rock from to add to the collection on the shelf above the fireplace. Reynard had obviously been a little miffed to find that she only desired a rock over his other more expensive wares and had sulked a great deal since. All three of these lodgers where seated by the fire and all mulling over their earnings from the day before.

Olive began wondering what their travels where like, she had no reason to travel herself so never did, Gran sorens walls where to her the edge of the world, if she stepped over she would fall into an abyss of uncertainty that was best avoided.

Petunia strode into the room from the adjacent kitchen and looked across at the lodgers with her usual expression of displeasure.

"I take it your father is not here yet then" she snapped turning to Olive who had been shaken out of her thoughts. Olive shook her head then turned to look at her mother. She was covered in flour so had obviously been baking bread, baking always put her in a bad mood.

"I didn't know he was coming"

"That's because I didn't tell you" Petunia retorted shooting a look of ice at her impertinent child. Olive snapped her mouth shut to signal to her mother she was done speaking and was truly sorry for whatever crime she just committed.

"He said on Thursday that he would be down again today, bright and early he said, bright and early it is, and here he is not" Petunia hissed and scuttled back into the kitchen. Her daughter noted she was more irritable than usual.

All six eyes sat by the fire turned to look at Olive who offered them a small smile back and went to follow her mother. She found her kneading, or more beating the hell out of a loaf that was already done and cooked.

"What the hell is going on woman" Olive rather angrily enquired as she pulled her mothers arms away from the now ruined bread. Petunia's nostrils flared and she breathed heavily and quickly

"I dislike tardiness is all, now go sweep the floors"

"I just did"

"THEN SWEEP THEM AGAIN" this was an order, shouted in such a way that even the Arisen would jump to action. Olive, knowing conversation was futile returned to the sitting room to find three ears pressed against the kitchen wall in an effort to hear the conversation that just unfolded.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" she asked, as they all hurried back to their seat realising they had been well and truly caught. Lack of privacy was an issue that all Inn keepers and their families face, it's best to have no secrets and no shame before embarking upon such a business.

A few minutes of awkward silence ticked by before a loud knock was heard at the door followed by a call from the other side

"Ser Arrick of the Duchess's service, request to enter". This was now the standard phrase used by castle guards before they entered a property to let the occupant know they where not in trouble. Guards used to be able to walk in wherever they wanted resulting in many a frightened citizen.

Olive opened the door to see Ser Arrick who stepped in and removed his big white gloves on the mat. Arrick was an older guard with grey cropped hair keeping with the traditional look of the castles security. He was a big man also, a mixture of muscles and just generally large bones and he stood a great deal higher than Olive and Petunia. His big round face was always red and more often than not plastered with a rather jolly smile. This was Olive's father.

"Two visits in one week father, what could possibly be the occasion?" asked Olive, surprised to see him standing on the mat even though she was now expecting him.

"A man doesn't need an occasion to visit his little girl does he now?" Arrick mocked ruffling her hair (This man hadn't quite grasped the fact that she was now 19 and well beyond the age of hair ruffling.) Petunia walked into the room just in time to ruin the moment.

"Am I supposed to assume it was a great emergency that has delayed you?" She growled.

"An emergency indeed Petunia my dear"

"Did someone die in a horrific circumstance?"

"Mother!" interjected Olive, shooting a look at the guests who had all turned their ears to the conversation unfolding.

"I am sure nothing would please you more, alas it was just a little hoo har outside the castle, Fournival has been evicting again" replied Arrick simply

"They should have let him hang when they had the chance" Petunia hissed under her breath

"It hardly matters now, I am here as I said I would be but my time is limited."

"Very well, Olive, step outside for a minute" Sighed Petunia touching her daughters arm and gesturing to the door her father had just entered through. Olive complied quietly and left the room with several eyes looking at her as she did so, and stepped out into the street.

"Go for a walk around the town, there is no need to loiter on the street" Called Arrick from within the inn. Olive nodded and closed the door behind her, shutting everybody off.

It was a nice day, with the sun finding its way down to the ground despite the maze of houses and streets, people where buzzing around within their own little worlds doing their own thing and paying to heed to anything that didn't interest them. Olive was never a people watcher so decided to run up to the town square for a little while and see if there was any news of a fountain.


	2. Chapter 2

As you can probably imagine, on such a fine day nearly every citizen of Gran Soren seemed to be gathered in the town square. Trade was looking good from all angles and every shop seemed to be selling something. Olive lifted her head to the sky letting the sun pour over her face. In sunlight her skin looked a hell of a lot healthier.

It was whilst she was in this oblivious position that a rather unwanted hand slipped onto her back and lingered there until she was forced to open her eyes and glance at her harasser. A certain Horace Warble was stood next to her grinning as if he had just conquered the dragon.

"It's not often you grace the world with your presence Ollie, you should really come outside more" he leered putting his mouth up to her ear and grinning like a possessed goblin. Olive was convinced he had his roots somewhere within that species, his skin was a hideous red with potholes all over it where his measles never quite healed up, his teeth where few and far between and he was gifted with the most irritatingly high nasal vocal sound that made children run and wash their ears. As a lover of male grooming it was suspected that 97% of his earnings where spent on his mane of oily black hair that he greased down to create what he thought was a sexy serious look. The other 3% went on prostitutes and ale.

"I'm always working Horace" Olive replied as politely as was possible whilst subtly manoeuvring herself so as to loose Horace's hand.

"If you married me you wouldn't have to work at all, just sit home all day and wait for your beloved husband to return"

"Then I would cook your dinner and massage your feet?"

"That would be nice"

"Fat chance Sir" she laughed as she jerked away. Horace's face was a mixture of anger, embarrassment and goblinism as he shot a quick look at the group of similar looking males sat where the fountain should have been, no doubt it a all just a show to prove something Olive didn't care to think much about.

"You'll marry be girl, because no one else will put up with your ugly face" he hissed then turned on his heels and re-joined his posse of single unwanted creatures, smacking a short stocky male around the head as he did so. Olive did have pity for them though, they where all born with a rather unfortunate disposition, but they brought most of their problems upon themselves so her pity didn't stretch very far.

Olive was just beginning to walk away when she was approached a second time, this time however it was a little old woman she didn't recognise.

"Ever been to Cassardiss dear?" she enquired out of nowhere.

"No, I haven't been anywhere" Olive replied, a little stunned by this sudden conversation

"Men are much better looking there, poor, but handsome, I personally wouldn't touch these creatures with a barge pole" she said jabbing her thumb behind her at Horace's group where a scuffle looked like it was about to take place between Horace and the short one he had hit. Olive laughed and thanked the old woman who squeezed her hand and walked over to a flower stall.

To most people living in this world love could be easily explained, it either didn't exist or was so rare it might as well not exist, it could easily be created between two people if they spent long enough together (a popular theory amongst parents marrying off their children) or it was only found in those willing to look for it. Olive didn't have time for love so she never thought about it and she doubted she ever would.

Suddenly the sound of a fist smacking purposefully against an unfortunate face carried across the town square followed by an angry cry of pain. A brawl had broken out between Horace's friends and it looked pretty serious. The more reserved and uninvolved citizens backed away into shops or down streets so as not to be confused in the ruckus whereas others drew nearer to egg on the fight and get a better view.

Looking around for the best ally to dive into Olive caught sight of the old woman looking straight at her and mouthing the word 'Cassardis' before scuttling off in the direction of her home, she didn't know who she was, but she liked her.

Horace was at the centre of the fight, swinging his arms around wildly in an attempt to hit anyone and apply a bit of damage whilst receiving less to himself. The short stocky one kicked at his legs and head butted him in the side while everyone else threw in more calculated and substantial attacks obviously having been in a fight or two before. It really seemed as if someone was going to get hurt until a large figure stepped in and separated the scuffle effortlessly with the reveal of a sword and an order to break it up. The group all took a step back and waited for further lecturing.

"How dare you" said the voice coldly (Olive quickly realised it was her father) "animals the lot of you. If I wasn't here for a purpose I would see to it you where all flogged, right here, right now. Disgusting behaviour. Sir Bigly, take over for me" Arrick ordered and a guard obediently stepped into his place and grabbed Horace and his little friend by the collar. Arrick walked over to join his daughter.

"I was just about to Leave father" said Olive as Arrick turned her around and guided her back down the ally she had come out of.

"I wanted to speak to you first, before you're mother gets hold of you and blows everything out of proportion" He sighed.

"Blows what out of proportion"

"You see that's the thing, I can't tell you entirely" Arrick said flatly as they walked back towards the inn. Almost all the jolliness was gone from his face making his daughter uncomfortable, he seemed almost guard like and it didn't suit him at all.

"Is mother alright?" Olive enquired ever so slightly concerned

"She's fine"

"are you alright?" she asked, in a slightly more anxious tone having made up her mind that at least one of her parents had just contracted a terminal illness and was working out how to break the news to her.

"I will be after you get back"

"From where"

"The castle"

Now that wasn't how she had expect the conversation to go and her mind quickly rallied up what it thought was the right answer to a question that hadn't been asked.

"I wasn't part of the fight, a barely even saw it" she laughed. Her father didn't

"It isn't even remotely about that, but when we get back to the inn you do exactly as we tell you, and when you leave the inn you do EXACTLY as he tells you"

Once again Olive's mind raced to a completely unrelated conclusion.

"You're not making me marry Horace are you?"

"Of course not, hell no, maker forbid it, good grief Olive what kind of a father do you think I am?"

"One that's not making very much sense" she grumbled kicking at a rock in her path missing it and loosing her balance. Arrick caught her shoulder to steady her.

"Of all the little girls in the kingdom, it had to be this one" He grumbled inaudibly as they approached the Daffodil.

Walking through the door they where greeted by a hysterical Petunia who was very much on the verge of throwing parts of her rock collection at anything that moved, if ever dragons where reincarnated as humans Olives mother would serve as a very convincing piece of proof.

"Forty-seven minutes Arrick, it doesn't take forty-seven minutes to fetch a girl and bring her back." She hollered. Anyone other than Arrick and Olive would have recoiled into a corner and begun the process of absolute repentance had they been the receiver of this fury, but these two, being used to her rages simply stood in silence and let her anger pass over her as much as anger ever passed over Petunia.

"I do hope your fine establishment is empty my dear, otherwise your occupants will be requesting a refund after that there display" said Arrick, his never ending patience beginning to fade.

"The two farmers checked out and the trader is out trading, where empty apart from him, It's been here half an hour" Petunia hissed pointing at a figure stood with his back to them, facing the fire. From what Olive could see of him in the dark he was tall with black hair that spiked upwards in the front slightly. The light from the fire was obscuring but there was no doubt he had a sword strapped to his waist.

Even though he could clearly hear he was the subject of conversation the man didn't turn around or even shift from his position. His tanned arms remained crossed in front of him and just for a second Olive thought she perceived a faint glow in his partly hidden palm.

A pawn?

"He's the one Barnaby sent?" enquired Arrick, eying the stranger up and down.

"Ask him yourself, I'm not making conversation with it" Petunia growled and left the room.

Petunia had never been trusting of the pawns, she spent a great deal of her day complaining about the atrocities they where planning to commit and how just the sheer amount of them could overthrow this city with as little force as 'can we have the city please?' In truth her opinions could not be more unjustified. Pawns where placid creatures that only wished to serve, all ill rumours of them only occurred when a horrific order was given to them. It was their job and purpose to do as they where told regardless of the givers motives and the actions outcome. The pawn stood before them obviously had no intentions of running them through with his sword where they stood.

Arrick squeezed his daughters shoulder and crossed the room as the pawn turned around and displayed the symbol on his hand clearly for the approaching guard to see.

"Am I to assume you are David?" enquired Arrick more defensive than usual.

"You are correct Ser. I was sent this morning by Barnaby, as you requested" He replied formally. He had a nice voice Olive noticed but it carried a sad emptiness that she had always observed in pawns, they could mimic emotions but never feel them.

"You are aware of the task we require?"

"To deliver this?" David held up an ancient looking letter that Petunia had given him earlier.

"And you have read its contents"

"Thoroughly"

"No objections I hope" Laughed Arrick obviously bored of being serious.

"None whatsoever"

"Then that's all I need to know, I suppose you want to meet the girl" he grinned, and gestured for Olive to join them.

Fear was something Olive seldom felt, she never needed to feel it, but now as she walked towards this tall weapon wielding individual she felt the easily identifiable pang of terror rising in her stomach, she couldn't place the reason why, but it suddenly dawned on her that things would soon be very different for her.

"This is my daughter Olive, the one that letter concerns" Arrick said, snapping her back to the current reality, she hadn't realised how close she had walked and David's full height quickly registered with her…Damn he was tall, or perhaps she was just shorter than she had at first thought.

The pawn looked down at her and nodded.

"I shall escort her as soon as you are ready" And with that he took a few large strides and left the inn leaving Olive quite bewildered. It was at that point Petunia popped her head around the corner.

"Has it gone?" she asked, stepping into the room fully.

"Maker give me strength" Cried Arrick throwing his hands up into the air and walking to the small window on his left. "Show some respect woman, that man is the one who is to escort your daughter to the Arisen, he has a hand in ending all of this!" he snapped, nearly silencing Petuinia. Nearly.

"That doesn't mean I have to be comfortable with it"

"It doesn't matter how comfortable you feel, its happening today, and its happening now, get the girl ready" he ordered then went to join David outside, most likely to pass on a few more instructions and to be rid of Petunia's company for a while.

Olive was truly stunned, her father had never acted in such a way before and for her mother to be showing some glimmer of concern for her was something to be marvelled at. However the real question was 'what the hell is going on?', so many unusual occurrences where taking place, her father shows up a second time this week, as he usually only visits once or twice a month depending on whenever his job would allow, her mother allows a pawn into the Inn and her father loses his cool in front of her. She decided to give Petunia a look, a look that was rewarded with her mother growling back at her slightly.

"It's a simple enough task really, just follow the pawn"

"but what is this 'simple enough' task?"

"It will all be explained later, get your nice shoes on" She ordered as she tossed a pair of brown boots to her very dazed daughter. Snarling (Or perhaps smiling) she then gestured to the door where David and Arrick where waiting. Olive, obedient as ever left the inn a second time but this time burdened with greater fear than she had ever carried in her life.


	3. Chapter 3

David was stood next to Arrick, his slight, tanned muscular arms crossed in front of him, while the guard leaned against the wall opposite the inn, he was smiling once again much to Olive's reassurance. In the bright light of day she saw David much clearer, he was tall as she had noted earlier, tall and strong, he may not have been a big burley body builder, but he certainly wouldn't loose in a fight against Horace Warble, but then again, few people would unless it was out of pity.

He turned his head to look at her and his face became clear, a strong dark face with very defined features, a powerful cheekbone and a straight elegant nose that turned up ever so slightly at the end. His mouth was currently expressionless but she could tell, if he ever smiled, he would have a very calming smile indeed, no doubt as a baby he was simply adorable, but the adult stood before her, was more than distinctly handsome, he was unique, and Olive had a sudden glimmer of recognition pass through her with regards to his face, but it faded as quickly as it had sparked.

Arrick broke her train of thought.

"Are you all set?" he asked slowly in a slightly strained voice as he stood up fully and stepped over to his daughter, David stepped back slightly to allow the two a private moment.

"I think so, but what for, I have no idea" Olive replied quietly. Arrick put his hand on her shoulder.

"It will all become clear very soon, we don't want to deceive you child, but we also never wanted to confuse you, follow this man, he knows what to do" Arrick said quietly then opened his arms for his daughter to give him one final embrace before she set off to do…she had no clue what. There was something more in Arricks hug, it was a hug that in a way said 'Farewell forever' but Olive didn't think too much on it, she was convinced in her mind that she would be returning to the Daffodil as she always did when she left, but little did she know, that when she did return it would be under very different circumstances.

Petunia also hugged her daughter in a similar way and this alone should have been a red flag to Olive who was never hugged, but confused as she was, she paid no heed to it.

After her parents had embraced her, questioned her a few more times about whether or not she had everything and ordered her to stick close to David no matter what, it was silently but mutually agreed that now was the time she was to set off. David stepped back into the group and placed his large but gentle hand on her shoulder.

"We're ready when you are" He said finally. Olive nodded in reply, but wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to be ready for. David nodded back and waited for his new responsibility to take the first step. Olive smiled once more at her parents then turned slowly on her heels and began to the long and confusing walk to the castle, a walk that was supposed to end everything, started something much bigger than anyone was expecting.

For Olive this journey seemed to go much slower than the one she had taken into town earlier, but that may have had something to do with the man walking beside her, she felt extremely uncomfortable and surprisingly wished she was at home with her mother despite her foul moods and to make matters worse, the castle was a long way off and there was only so long they could go without conversation before the mood got unbearably awkward, the only problem was; how to start a conversation with such a companion.

Olive racked her brain as to what she knew about pawns. She had been told they where dependant and completely useless if not told what to do, she had heard that they where thieves and vandals and she was sure there was an occasion where a beggar had been thrown into a canal…none where very good topics to raise in conversation with a pawn.

But what about that brief feeling she had had earlier, the feeling that she knew David from somewhere. Asking who he was would be rude if not put correctly and Olive had never been gifted with words, she could ask him if he had been to Gran Soren before, but that was an obvious question with an obvious answer that would obviously kill conversation as soon as it started it. Commenting on the weather was just small talk and wouldn't kill time for very long, especially when the weather in Gransys is pretty much always the same. She ran the conversation through her head.

"Isn't is sunny"

"Isn't it always"

"Yes, it is"

Silence.

'Hardly worth the words', she thought then turned her attention back to the roads she was travelling along.

"Have you ever been to the castle?" Asked David suddenly. Olive was caught off guard and nearly answered 'yes, I do like apples' but quickly caught herself before embarrassment ensued

"No" she answered, then abruptly realised that was too final and she had potentially ended the conversation with the first word that left her moth. She kicked herself mentally then elaborated on her answer before the silence dragged on. "not inside at least" she continued "my father took me around the gardens once or twice but I was very small"

David nodded and it dawned on Olive that she hadn't left him an opening to speak, she rapidly formulated a follow up question.

"have you?" she asked finally.

"Been to the castle?"

"Yes" she clarified.

"A while a go" he replied.

"Inside?"

"Oh yes"

"what was it like?"

"You'll see for yourself" he said simply then lapsed back into silence. They where still a little way off from the market and Olive couldn't let the conversation die off as quick as that so she took it upon herself to pose the next question as it was only fair.

"So do people always call you David?" she enquired not realising how ridiculous that must have sounded until quite a while later.

"Yes, since that's my name" David replied, keeping his eyes forward.

"So it's never shortened? You're never Dave? Davy? Dav…" she trailed off, running out of abbreviations for 'David'

"No, it's always David"

He had such a plain way of saying things and it worried Olive, perhaps she was boring him.

"And what about yourself, always Olive?" he asked with a slight hint of humour in his voice.

"I'm sometimes Ollie, but only when people are making fun of me"

"I don't see what there is to make fun of"

"You would if you knew me Ser" She laughed sadly, if a laugh could be sad.

"Well, I hope I will get the chance to know you better one day" David said with a kind smile even though there was something distinctly human missing from it.

Silence crept back between the pair until David spoke again, this time his tone completely serious.

"What do you know about the letter in my pocket?"

"that its made from paper and has writing on it" Olive answered honestly.

"I suppose you have that to your advantage" he mused.

She didn't want to make a big deal out of not having a clue what was going on so she decided not to mention it at all, rather she took the liberty of changing the conversation completely.

"Who's Barnaby?" she asked. David didn't even seemed phased by the diversion of topics and answered simply:

"He manages the Pawn guild, assigns pawns tasks and assigns people pawns; you might call him the 'Pawn overseer'"

"is he tall with longish mousy brown hair?"

"Indeed"

"Ah I know him"

"Really?" David was suddenly interested.

"He comes into town from time to time, most likely just to stretch his legs, but he must get bored because he never stays long"

"why do you ask about him?"

"Because recently he has been speaking to my father, what about I have no clue, but they talk for hours"

"He was probably negotiating a pawn, negotiating me" David chuckled.

"You make it sound like two farmers haggling the price of a cow" Olive said with a smile, not wanting to make too much of a joke at this early stage.

"It is very much like that, your father would have wanted the very best pawn, but Barnaby will be thinking practically, who is best for the task, who is busy and who is not etc etc, it's a very tiring job and one I certainly couldn't do"

"So why did he choose you?"

"I really have no idea"

The pair where now just emerging from a small road that ran off from the market, and since the sun was now at a different angle, they had been walking in shadow along the smaller pathways, but when they stepped into the town square they where greeted by the late afternoon sun. The town was slightly less busy but still crowded, Olive could even recognise a few people still milling around from earlier and it was as if the fight had never happened. Olive looked over to her left and caught sight of a familiar face grinning back at her. It was the old woman from this morning. The kindly looking grey headed woman nodded in approval at something behind Olive, who instinctively turned around just in time to understand that the woman was referring to David. Embarrassment flushed over her and she quickly moved on not wanting anyone else to get the wrong idea.

They hadn't travelled but a few yards forward when a second person made his presence known to Olive, this time in a more unavoidable manner. Horace Warble was strutting across the town towards them as if he had just one the prize pig at the fair, and he obviously hadn't noticed David.

"Who is he?" whispered David in Olive's ear.

"Someone I wish didn't exist" She sighed in reply, then tried to take a few steps out of Horace's line of fire, but just as she did so he had set upon her like a vulture to a corpse

"Seen you twice in one day Ollie, you truly are spoiling me rotten" he leered, getting a little closer than what was comfortable.

"I've got to go Horace" she mumbled, attempting again to get past him.

"Where in gransys can you go that's more important than being here with your future husband?"

"I have to get to the castle"

"Now now Ollie, Girls have given me some pretty limp excuses in the past, but tha…" He was cut off as if the maker had just removed his tongue which in itself would have been a miracle worth recording as young master Warble was never silenced.

"What?" Olive asked confused.

"Are you with him?" Horace stuttered, looking up at the tall dark and handsome figure that he had just noticed.

"He's escorting me to the castle"

"Him?"

"Yes"

"The Arisen's pawn?" He mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"That's the Duchess's Pawn" he said, getting a little louder.

"I don't understand"

"Well you're a woman, you wouldn't" he snapped.

David, who had been silent throughout this whole encounter so as to better assess Horace's character now decided to speak.

"You must be confused sir" David said in his flat but formal way "If I was the Arisen's Pawn, I would not be here" He continued.

"Don't patronize me, I know you're the Duchess's Pawn" Horace said with a slight growl, lifting himself up to his full height in an attempt to square up to David who still stood a comical head above him.

"Can we leave?" Muttered Olive who wanted to crawl into a hole and sleep until everyone she knew was dead.

"Aww don't go Ollie, stay a while and let me show you how great a husband I would be" Horace hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to himself.

It was at that moment David's purpose shone through flawlessly. Any untrained eye wouldn't have noticed that he was on the defensive as soon as Horace approached, he had checked all his weapons where readily available should a limb or two need to be removed as well as never taking his eyes off of the threat, however after not even two words had left the Annoyance's mouth he had concluded that a sword really wouldn't be needed. David had promptly manoeuvred himself behind Olive, a strange position you may think, considering Horace was in front of her, but David didn't want to appear aggressive, as well as several other reasons. For example David wanted to watch how Horace interacted with Olive and vice versa, if he created a wall between them he would never be able to deduce what kind of a risk Horace's presence was to Olive.

All of which is incredibly boring and near impossible to watch as pawns are agile and sneaky creatures. What is interesting is how David reacted when Horace made contact with his new master. He didn't do anything. He didn't do anything but laugh ever so slightly, the kind of laugh that would make you nervous if you heard it in a dark ally. Horace looked up at him irritably

"Is there something on your mind pawn?" He hissed, tightening his grip on Olive's arm.

"I was just recalling what you said earlier"

"And what did I say?"

"That I was the Arisen's pawn"

"Because that's who you are" Horace growled shooting a look of ice at the man confronting him

"And what sort of power do you think that gives me?"

"You can't threaten me pawn, if that's what you think your doing" laughed Horace, still clutching at his prize.

"I was just thinking about the warning you received this morning"

"Only because those cells couldn't hold me"

"But their holding all your friends"

"So?"

"Don't you think they would be please to see you" David asked mockingly

"Well they won't, because I'm not going down there"

"Not with one warning no"

"Exactly"

"But with two?"

"I see what your trying to do" Horace said and let go of Olive, who instinctively darted behind David.

"And what's that"

"Get me arrested"

"Clever boy, and it seems to have worked" Laughed David, as Arrick appeared behind Horace and effortlessly clamped his hands into a pair of shackles. Olive looked on in amazement as Horace Warble, THE Horace Warble was handed to a second guard and led away.

"Thank you David, I've been looking for an excuse to chain him up for years." laughed Arrick shaking the hand of his new favourite Pawn.

"I am grateful for your thanks Ser, but we cannot delay any longer" Said David gently taking Olive's arm.

"Yes yes, off you go, and may the Maker bless your steps" Arrick said sincerely then walked away in the direction Horace had been taken.

David guided Olive a little way along before she spoke again

"Is it true?" she asked David quietly

"Is what true?"

"What Horace said, about you being the Duchess's pawn"

"To a degree"

"What do you mean" Olive was in no mood for inconclusive answers and wished everyone would give her responses she could easily understand.

"I was the duchess's Pawn" answered David "But I was released from her service"

Olive was shocked, he sounded so sad and alone, like he was just coaxing through a world he had no meaning in.

"I didn't know you could do that"

"You can do anything if you rule the world" He laughed then they fell into silence for the rest of the journey.

Olive thought for the rest of the way, she thought about her future and her past, she thought about David's past and his seemingly bleak future. She worried about her mother all alone in the Daffodil and she thanked the Maker for kindly ruining Horace Warble's life today. She continued thinking until David squeezed her arm.

"This is it" He said simply. Olive looked up and the looming structure before her. She breathed out then nodded.

"David;" she smiled with a slight feeling of confidence.

"Yes?" He answered, slightly confused by her change in attitude.

"Lets deliver this letter"


End file.
